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Slow-freezing versus vitrification for human ovarian tissue cryopreservation

  • Gynecologic Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Ovarian tissue can be cryopreserved prior to chemotherapy using either the slow-freezing or the vitrification method; however, the data on the equality of the procedures are still conflicting. In this study, a comparison of the cryo-damage of human ovarian tissue induced by either vitrification or slow-freezing was performed.

Methods

Ovarian tissue from 23 pre-menopausal patients was cryopreserved with either slow-freezing or vitrification. After thawing/warming, the tissue was histologically and immunohistochemically analyzed and cultured in vitro. During tissue culture the estradiol release was assessed.

Results

No significant difference was found in the proportion of high-quality follicles after thawing/warming in the slow-freezing and vitrification group, respectively (72.7 versus 66.7 %, p = 0.733). Estradiol secretion by the ovarian tissue was similar between groups during 18 days in vitro culture (area-under-the-curve 5,411 versus 13,102, p = 0.11). Addition of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate or Activin A to the culture medium did not alter estradiol release in both groups. The proportion of Activated Caspase-3 or ‘Proliferating-Cell-Nuclear-Antigen’ positive follicles at the end of the culture period was similar between slow-freezing and vitrification.

Conclusion(s)

Slow-freezing and vitrification result in similar morphological integrity after cryopreservation, a similar estradiol release in culture, and similar rates of follicular proliferation and apoptosis after culture.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University Clinic of Schleswig-Holstein, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538, Lübeck, Germany

    Silke Klocke, Nana Bündgen, Frank Köster & Georg Griesinger

  2. Gene Technology/Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bielefeld, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany

    Ursula Eichenlaub-Ritter

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  1. Silke Klocke
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  2. Nana Bündgen
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  4. Ursula Eichenlaub-Ritter
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  5. Georg Griesinger
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Correspondence to Silke Klocke.

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Klocke, S., Bündgen, N., Köster, F. et al. Slow-freezing versus vitrification for human ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Arch Gynecol Obstet 291, 419–426 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-014-3390-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-014-3390-6

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